Villa Castellamonte del Mare Cabrera

... plague most developing-world beach dogs. Since we didn't really have an itinerary ahead of time, I hadn't told her we were coming and I had no idea where she lived except "Cabrera." The town was not the tiny place that we had expected, so we thought we'd have no chance of finding her - but apparently expats can't hide as easily as they may sometimes wish! We had an awesome lunch (where I learned that they only use the term "habichuelas" for beans ...

... can afford. As soon as you walk into the reception area, you get a grand view of the ocean, with tables set on a patio in the open air. The terrace below literally juts out over the water, and the waves (tiny as they are) break against the building. A broad outdoor spiral staircase leads to three levels, all with wide balconies facing the water. The hotel has seen some wear and tear, but it's truly beautiful ...

Apres un magnifique depart samedi dernier, nous sommes arretes a la plage privee de Princess hier. Il faisait environ 30 C et la mer etait excellente. Quelle belle journee de plage et de baignade. Il y avait tout plein de poissons de toutes les couleurs. Actuellement, nous sommes en ...

Casa Goerthe organized a ˝ day trip to nearby Laguna Grigri, Playa Caleton, and Playa Grande after class. After a quick bus ride to Laguna Grigri, we got into a small boat for a tour through the mangrove forests. The boat ride through the forest was OK. A bit later we got to the open ocean, and the water was incredibly crystal clear. We cruised down the coastline a bit and stopped for a minute into the 'Swallows ...

Wednesday-Thursday, January 23-24, 2008 Samana Peninsula Dear Readers: Two full and somewhat stressful days on the Peninsula begin with the shocking news that there was confusion with our hotel booking, and our destination was completely full when we arrived. Quick scrambling lands us in a different beachfront resort with one fewer star on its entrance. The only plus is that it is a short walk from one of the three towns on ...

... a spa & fitness facility, and complete concierge services all overlooking your very exclusive and beautiful beach. Championship Golf("Pebble Beach of the Caribbean") at Playa Grande Golf Club. To the rear of the property is a panoramic view of the mountainside. The property sits on 7.5 magnificently manicured acres and is located adjacent to the subdivision Orchid Bay which boasts private villa estates valued up to $30 million.

The penultimate stage of our round the world trip! - Republic Domincan. The route we took from Hawaii was long... involved 4 plane changes and rigourous luggage searched from the airline staff. But we arrived in one piece and rather jet lagged. Wish the same could be said for my surfboard which has been crumpled and written off. Luckily I have good insurance cover. The hustle and bustle surrounding ...

Hello Family and Friends! Hope everyone is doing well and is happy and healthy. I am here in Santiago for a despedida, or going away party, for five volunteers who are finishing up their service and heading home. It is hard to believe that my own despedida won't be taking place until May of 2008! Sometimes time here seems to fly, and other times it seems to be creeping by ever so slowly. But I do try to enjoy things in the moment and take them as they come day by day ...

Hello All! I am in the capital doing some work so I wanted to take advantage of the free internet to give another update on life here in the DR. My most recent adventure referred to in the title was a bola race from Santiago to Samana. In Dominican Spanish, a "bola" refers to a free ride. So, a few of my friends and fellow volunteers got it into their heads that we needed to have a bola race. Santiago is the second-largest city in the country and the ...

... story another time but the moral is that we may need to set up a "Toilet for Molly" fund at the Brandermill Church. I would, however, like to tell one amazing story that happened to me at the beginning of this month. (warning!! long story!)It all started when I came into the capital for a week of language training (p.s. I passed my exam! - by the skin of my dientes!)and my birthday just happened to fall right in the middle of the week. The nine other ...